gopro
Latest
Engadget UK giveaway: win a GoPro Hero4 Black Edition courtesy of Tagstr
Alas, our Galaxy Note 4 giveaway has run its course, but don't be too downhearted if you missed out. This week, we've got one of GoPro's new Hero4 Black Edition action cams to offload, and the timing couldn't be better if you've got a shredding adventure planned this ski season. The top-of-the-range GoPro, which can record gorgeous 4K video at 30 fps, has been supplied by our generous friends at Tagstr, the media-centric social network that uses hashtags to blend the photo, video and audio content of users into "shared moments." A few new features have been added since we last caught up with Tagstr, too, including support for multiple file uploads and the ability to import media from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to share on Tagstr. As per usual, UK residents can enter the GoPro giveaway up to three times via the Rafflecopter widget below. After they've read the rules, that is. Winning: congrats to Michael J. from Cambridge!
Motrr Galileo robotic mount goes GoPro, uses iPhone app for control
We've written about the Motrr Galileo robotic mount before -- it was first a Kickstarter project that received tons of funding, and came to market as a robotic iPhone mount. It shipped a bit late - the Kickstarter campaign ran in early 2012, backers didn't get their devices until late 2013, and the TUAW review actually ran in December of 2013. Since then, the Motrr Galileo mount has found a niche for those who want to take precisely controlled spherical photos and can even work with apps like FaceSnap to have the mount search until a face is in a frame before shooting photos. Now there's a new version of the mount available for owners of the GoPro Hero3, Hero3+ and Hero4 HD action cameras. Set up is quite easy: What does this have to do with Apple or iOS devices? Well, the mount can be remotely controlled from your iPhone by the free Motrr app, and there are some amazing things you can do with the combo of GoPro and Motrr Galileo: Already own a Galileo? The adapter to turn the Bluetooth mount into your GoPro's best friend is just $29.95. If you don't own Motrr's little robot, it's available for $149.95 - but you can get 20 percent off the price of anything in the Galileo store through the end of 2014 by using the code GiftaGalileo.
Engadget Daily: The Meizu MX4 Pro, why GoPro's mid-range camera is its best, and more!
The GoPro Hero4 Black can shoot 4K at 30 fps. So why, then, does James Trew prefer the cheaper and less-equipped Hero4 Silver? Two words: the touchscreen. That's not all we have on deck, though -- read on for the rest of our news highlights from the last 24 hours, including YouTube's latest licensing battle, the Meizu MX4 Pro and Motorola's smart key fob.
When it comes to GoPro's new Hero4 camera, silver is the new black
GoPro cameras have come a long way in the last couple of years. Not only are they a lot smaller (my once "slick" HD Hero2 looks enormous compared to the new Hero4), but also the resolution they can record has finally reached full 30 fps 4K. Not bad considering I don't even own a 4K TV yet. Sure, there are phones that can record 4K, but not with the same versatility and control of an action camera. GoPros have actually recorded 4K (albeit only at 12 fps) since the Hero3, but it's taken until now to deliver a decent frame rate without severely compromising the (already medicore) battery life. This means the company has possibly reached something of a glass ceiling when it comes to its top-billing feature (resolution). Maybe we'll see 8K next year, or 4K at 60 fps, but I honestly feel most of us are a long way from either wanting, let alone needing that. So what's a camera company to do?
Tour the space station in 3D, or from inside a water bubble (video)
Astronauts aboard the ISS have been sending back space videos for years, but now they've stepped up their game: they just beamed back a couple of 3D footage taken by a Panasonic camera. These video clips take us on a 3D tour of the space station and show the astronauts submerging a sealed GoPro into a water bubble floating around in zero-g. By the sound of NASA's press release, though, we'll see more 3D videos in the future, as the camera used to take them fares batter in space. See, the radiation out there affects ordinary cams, burning out hundreds to thousands of pixels -- enough for them to need replacing every 8 to 12 months. The astronauts noticed, however, that the first $21,000 3D camera brought aboard the station in 2011 remained largely the same through the years.
Livestream's new iPhone app lets you broadcast GoPro action without a PC
Typically, streaming live footage from an action camera requires a PC to provide the internet connection. That's not exactly an option when you're flying off a cliff in a wingsuit. Livestream just made it a lot easier to share your adventures with the world, however. Its newest iOS app now lets you broadcast video from GoPro Hero cameras anywhere you have a good data connection; so long as you can fit an iPhone in your pocket, your friends can see that thrilling BASE jump or bike ride in real-time. There's no word of GoPro support on Android, but it won't be surprising if there's a corresponding update before long.
Action cameras: an extreme point of view
Not everyone wants to be in the driver's seat when it comes to experiencing extreme action -- in fact, most people prefer to do it remotely. But with today's ultra-small wearable cameras and high-def resolutions, the less outdoorsy among us can experience a bit of the rush without any of the broken limbs. The action camera tech we now use is the product of decades of experimentation by fearless filmmakers and adrenaline junkies alike. Join us in the gallery below as we explore the emergence of the action camera from its clunky early days to today's go-anywhere POV devices.
Watch a brave drone get dramatically close to an erupting volcano
DJI has just shown off one of the most spectacular drone videos we've ever seen of an erupting volcano, so close it resulted in a melted a GoPro camera. The pilot, Eric Cheng, captured the footage at the Bardabunga volcanic system in Iceland using an off-the-shelf DJI Phantom 2 drone equipped with a GoPro Hero 3+ camera. After an eleven hour journey over nearly impassable terrain, his team arrived to within 2 km of the volcano, which was spewing lava as high as 150m (460 feet) in the air.
GoPro's Hero4 cameras offer 30 fps 4K shooting or touchscreen controls
GoPro started life as a home-brew wrist-mounted 35mm camera, but it's come a long way since. Today we're getting a look at the next installment of that story: The Hero4. The latest cameras from the action sports behemoth bring some anticipated features, along with a few surprises. Most notably, while the Hero4 still comes in three tiers/editions, there are greater differences between them. Black is still the top-specification model (more details of which after the fold), but Silver has a few neat tricks of its own. Finally, the White edition is out; in place is a new camera simply called "Hero." The new family structure is essentially: professionals, prosumer/consumers and entry level -- which isn't that different from before, just this time around it's more pronounced. "Enough already. Tell me about the features," I hear you say. Glad you asked, follow on below for details.
Ricoh's new action cam isn't a toy, even if it looks like one
When you're in the market for an action camera, we'd imagine GoPro or Contour would be the first names that sprang to mind. Ricoh is hoping to crowbar itself onto your psychological roster, however, with the WG-M1, its latest ruggedized action camera. Looking more like the sort of spy compass you'd get for free on the front of a magazine, the hockey puck-style device offers a 14-megapixel CMOS sensor and a six-element lens with an f/2.8 aperture. That'll be good enough for 1080p video of you on your longboard hurtling through traffic at 30 miles an hour.
GoPro's new Fetch mount lets your pooch capture video in comfort
It's easy to get a dog's-eye view of the world by strapping an action camera to your canine, but making it stable and comfortable is another matter -- you don't want Rover shaking off that costly video gear. That's where GoPro's new Fetch mount should come in handy. The padded harness lets your dog carry up to two cameras (back and belly) in comfort, whether it's a tiny French Bulldog or a bigger Golden Retriever. The add-on includes a camera tether and water resistance, too, so your companion can play rough without losing any equipment. You'll have to spend a significant $60 to make Fetch happen, but it might be worth the outlay if you're eager to record the adventures of a four-legged friend.
Crowdfunding Roundup: Pocketcopters, Hugs, and speakers
Each week, TUAW provides readers with an update on new or significant crowdfunded Apple-related projects in the news. While our policy is to not go into detail on items that haven't reached at least 80 percent of their funding goal, this update is designed to give readers a heads-up on projects they might find interesting enough to back. Remember swivelCards? They are the business cards that magically fold into a USB flash drive with just enough capacity to send the recipient of the card to a web page, a Dropbox folder, or any other place with an electronic address. The team launched its Kickstarter campaign yesterday and they hit their funding goal in less than eight hours. That doesn't mean that you can't jump on the bandwagon, though. You love your GoPro HD video camera, but since it doesn't have a viewing screen, you're always unsure of how your skydiving/skating/parkour/mountain-biking video came out until you actually look at it on your Mac. You could buy an external portable monitor, but who wants to lug that around? GoRigIt mounts your two trusty companions -- iPhone and GoPro -- together, so that you can view the video as it's being recorded, right on your iPhone. With 24 percent funding and over a month to go, GoRigIt looks like a sure bet for going into production QuarterWave is all about making Bluetooth speakers actually sound good. Made from wood, with a top-end amplifier, Bluetooth 4.0 and excellent drivers, the QuarterWave team wants to offer great sound at the price you're paying for crap speakers today. They're 48 percent funded with almost two months to go, so it looks like this project will definitely move ahead. Want the flexibility of taking aerial shots but don't want the expense or size of a AR.Drone or DJI Phantom II? 3D Pocketcopter is designed to work with your iPhone to give you a mini photography drone. It doesn't have much range, but it's perfect if you want to get a group shot from the air. It's only 1 percent funded with about three weeks left to go, so if you want a Pocketcopter, it's time to cough up some money. One of the most fascinating pieces of hardware at Macworld/iWorld 2014 was the FLIR ONE, a thermal imaging camera that works with an iPhone to let you "see" hot spots. Now Hema-Imager is seeking funding for a similar product, but with higher resolution and lower price tag. Don't you just love competition? Well, with 19 percent funding and a month to go, it's not certain that Hema-Imager will make it to market, but let's give it a chance. Everyone is always telling us to drink more water. Wouldn't it be nice to have an app tell us that it's time to guzzle down some water so we don't forget? That's the idea behind The Hug, a connected water bottle band that tracks just how much H2O is going into your system. Working with Fitbit and RunKeeper, the app can tell you how much water you need to be drinking to keep up with your activity. It's about 43 percent funded with about a month to go. Pre-order one, and always be hydrated. Have you ever wanted to hang your iPad Air? No, I don't mean putting a little noose around its nonexistent neck and pushing it off of a platform -- instead, being able to hang it on a wall like a picture. That's the idea behind the Loop by Mozzic, an iPad Air case that has an integrated hanging system built into it. You can hang it in the car, off of an airplane tray lock, dangle it from a kitchen cabinet handle. Loop by Mozzic is only 2 percent funded with 39 days to go, so it may not make it to production ... but it is an interesting take on an iPad Air case. And the last of this week's crowdfunding projects is another Bluetooth speaker, this one called the NudeAudio Super-M. It's waterproof, sand-proof, and fits in your jeans pocket. You definitely don't have to wonder if the Super-M is going to make it to market; this project is 744 percent funded with a week to go. It's a Kickstarter Staff Pick! That's it for this week. We'll be back next Thursday for another roundup of crowdfunded projects that you can support or ignore. Many thanks again to Hal Sherman for providing some tips about new and exciting projects, and if you're aware of any other crowdfunded Apple-related projects, be sure to let us know about them through the Tip Us button at the upper right of the TUAW home page for future listing on the site.
Engadget giveaway: win an iPad mini and GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition courtesy of younity!
Summer has long been the season of vacations, beach outings and BBQs, and that means documenting every possible moment on camera. It helps to have your tunes close at hand, too, in case the party's about to jump off. The task of copying over playlists and organizing photos in the aftermath can be a pain, but younity's personal cloud service could help simplify the task. Instead of syncing and storing data on the cloud, it turns all your devices into dedicated media streamers. That means you have centralized access to all of your files, regardless of which gadget they're on -- they just need to be connected to the internet. Younity also added GoPro integration, letting you discover, catalog and instantly share camera content right from your iPhone or iPad. That's why this week, one lucky Engadget reader will be winning a GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition camera and an iPad mini. All you need to do is head down to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this adventurous combo courtesy of the folks at younity. Winner: congratulations to Hector R. of Miami, FL!
Engadget UK Giveaway: win a GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition courtesy of Tagstr
It's currently the British definition of summer: a few short weeks in which to fit all the swimming, surfing, skating, cycling and sightseeing you possibly can. And, to prove you actually took advantage of the sun instead of sitting in a darkened room complaining it's too hot, we're giving away a GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition for you to catalog it all. This top of the range GoPro comes with a wireless remote, waterproof housing and selection of mounts to get you started, and was provided by the team at Tagstr. Accessible on the web or through its iOS app, Tagstr is a media-centric social network that groups uploaded photos, videos and audio based on their hashtags, creating "shared moments" from the content of its users. You have a personal profile (Facebook and Twitter login is supported) which friends can follow, but the real point of Tagstr is to explore and contribute to "moments" for different events, themes and more -- the perfect place to share some of your #summer GoPro footage, perhaps? In pursuit of a free GoPro, anyone can submit up to three entries via the Rafflecopter widget below. Oh, and give the rules a quick once-over while you're down there. Winning: congrats to Dave S. from Belfast!
Gadget Rewind 2009: GoPro HD Hero
Not everyone's compelled to backflip across a canyon on a BMX bike or dive from suborbital space in search of extreme sports thrills. In fact, most of us armchair enthusiasts prefer to get our kicks secondhand. And, more often than not, that footage comes from the likes of a helmet-mounted GoPro camera. Action sports enthusiasts have been wearing these nearly "invisible cameras" (as GoPro calls them) since the company launched in 2004. It's proven to be a very a lucrative niche for founder and CEO Nick Woodman, too, considering the company's recent IPO filing pegged its valuation at $3.86 billion dollars.
Third-person Oculus Rift hack delivers a true out-of-body experience
Who says VR needs to be experienced in the first-person? Using a stereo pair of GoPro cameras, mounted to a tall antenna carried in a backpack, some obscenely intelligent makers in Poland have discovered that it's possible to enjoy an Oculus Rift experience from a third-person POV instead. The cameras don't respond automatically to head movements just yet, so they have to be controlled by means of a small thumb stick, but they nevertheless augment the wearer's 3D vision: By giving him a view of the real world as seen from a couple of feet above his head, he could scan a wider part of the horizon, or safely peer out from a sniper-infested trench (do we still have those?) or simply to enjoy the uncanny feeling of staring down at his own head and neck. Not bad for an amateur Intel competition entry that was apparently constructed in just a couple of days.
GoPro cameras show what it's like to endure a terrifying car crash
GoPro is trying to build a media empire by capturing moments that other video cameras sometimes miss, and it just might achieve that feat if its latest (and arguably most dramatic) footage is any indication. The company mounted its action cams in the car of Guerlain Chicherit hoping to catch a record-setting jump, but instead caught what it's like to survive a horrifying crash. The clip is cringe-inducing, even if you've seen your fair share of in-car replays -- Chicherit can't do much more than prepare for the worst as his modified Mini tumbles end over end. He thankfully escaped with minor injuries, but the resulting movie is an especially stark reminder of just why stunt driving is so dangerous.
Airdog drone serves as your loyal action sports cameraman
The battle in the skies this week is the autonomous action-sports drone apparently. Why? Because, what if you want to be the star in your as yet un-made aerial epic? With a regular drone that's a tricky one. You could film yourself, as you stand flying the drone, but where's the fun in that? Airdog is a quadcopter drone that follows you, using GPS and movement tracking to keep up as you get down (the slope, or whatever). Action camera selfie videos are cool and all, but wouldn't an epic aerial shot following you carving through fresh powder snow, or riding that killer wave, or heck, even scuba diving be so much better? Airdog promises exactly that. And more.
BMW and Mini make it easier for GoPro to record your road adventures
Sure, you can use GoPro with any car you want, but BMW and Mini owners will have an easier time controlling the device from inside their cars. Why? Because the action camera's now tightly integrated with BMW's infotainment system. When you pair up the two, you'd be able to configure the camera, choose from six pre-set modes and start and stop recordings right on the in-car system's screen. The partnership comes with a few limitations, though: it only works on 2012 or newer BMW and Mini models loaded with BMW Apps or MINI Connected option, and you need to use a WiFi-connected GoPro -- in other words, HERO3+ models. Also, you'll need to connect an iPhone (4 or later) to the vehicle via a USB cable, because the camera can only communicate with the entertainment suite through GoPro's iOS app. Come to think of it, that's quite a lengthy list of requirements, but anything to record your on-road adventures, eh?
Weekends with Engadget: Apple buys Beats, LG unveils the G3 and more!
This week we watched Apple buy Beats for $3 billion, explored the inspiration behind the newly-announced LG G3, learned about Samsung's new partnership with Oculus VR, investigated the benefits of solar energy and much more. Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last seven days. Oh, and be sure to subscribe to our Flipboard magazine!
